Arosa turned and faced him. Her wide eyes were filled with uncertainty. He walked over to her and held out his hand when she didn’t reject his request. She hesitantly lifted her hand and placed her palm against his as he drew her other hand to his shoulder. He pulled her closer to him as they danced.
The magic of the night filled him with a sense of freedom he hadn’t felt in years. Their steps were slow at first as she tried to follow his movements. He led, guiding her in the simple steps. They twirled, moving in a graceful circle. All around them, the bioluminescent spores rose into the air like floating candles while fish splashed in the water, trying to gobble up those that drifted too close to the surface.
The colors of the night danced across her lovely face, and Arosa appeared to glow. Her eyes shone with her joy, and her radiant beauty took his breath away.
He drew them to a stop when the music faded. His heart pounded in his chest as he released her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist. She looked at him with wide eyes and parted lips.
“I hope you don’t think I’m too forward for what I’m about to do,” he said in a low voice.
“What are you about to do?” she breathlessly asked.
Tamblin smiled and lowered his head. “This,” he replied, capturing her parted lips with his.
Arosa stood frozen, unsure of what was happening or what to do when Tamblin kissed her. Well, she understood in theory what Tamblin was doing. She knew that to reproduce, species needed to interact physically.
She and her sister, Arilla, had lived among the dragons of Valdier and visited enough worlds to understand that the species developed affections for each other. In fact, she felt genuine affection for the dragonlings, the group of young children from the planet Valdier, and their friends from the worlds of Sarafin and Curizan. It was one reason she and Arilla enjoyed spending time with the children and their families, especially during their holiday celebrations.
It wasn’t like they spent a lot of physical time with them. She and Arosa enjoyed observing the interactions between the adults and their offspring. There might have also been some curiosity about the physical relationship between the adults. It was impossible to be oblivious to that. She viewed it as research, for gaining a deeper understanding for the time when she and Arilla were permitted to create and seed their own worlds with life.
The twin sisters were still young compared to Aikaterina, Aminta, Xyrie, and the other remaining elders—not that there were many of them left. As Aikaterina’s protégées, they were being tutored on how to observe the evolution of worlds.
Their species had been created at the same time as the universe. As the universe expanded, so had their travels. The Elders, the first of her kind, had learned how to harness the energy that had created them. She and Arilla first appeared on the outer fringes of the universe, when it was still young and expanding at an exponential rate.
Aikaterina had discovered them drifting, their life force fading into the icy darkness of space. She had given each of them part of her own essence. It was much the same way that the Valdier could support their symbiots—the living-gold creatures that the Elders nurtured.
Arosa leaned forward when Tamblin pulled back. She liked the feel of his lips against hers. There was an energy in their shared kiss that created a spark inside her. The breath from his soft chuckle brushed against her cheek.
“That was very… pleasant,” she announced.
Tamblin laughed. “Yes, it was indeed very pleasant,” he teased.
Arilla silently floated above her sister and the young King of Glitter. Arosa was positively glowing. The worry for her sister ebbed. Out of the two of them, Arosa was the most fragile. She suspected that Arosa’s greater need for infusions of energy was why Aikaterina was so insistent that they should remain close to Valdier and the river of symbiots.
Aikaterina had already forbidden them from interfering again after their last attempt at helping had ended with them accidentally sending a human ahead in time. It had been impossible to remain just an observer when the young woman’s selfless courage had saved her world. Aikaterina had warned them at the time, that when timelines crossed and were altered, it created different outcomes—with consequences sometimes not seen for centuries.
Arilla sighed as a sense of guilt washed through her. She wondered if being around the Valdier, Sarafin, Curizan, and their human mates was the reason she and Arosa were more inclined to push the boundaries of what they should and shouldn’t do. Arilla bit her lip and decided she needed to check on their mentor.
She looked down again when Arosa’s laughter swirled through the air. Her sister would be alright. Arosa could handle the situation here while she went back to check on Aikaterina.
After all, what could happen? The Dragonlings and younglings were reunited with their fathers and would soon be home. Arosa would then return to the hive, and the King—well, he would never know that the beautiful, gentle Queen of the Wood Fairies was actually a being far more powerful than any other creature he would ever meet.
Tonight will be a pleasant memory for both of them, Arilla thought with a pleased smile before she vanished, leaving her sister to enjoy her time as a fairy tale Queen.
1
Kingdom of Glitter:
A Month Before the Present
“Tamblin, are you alright?” Tia asked, stepping out onto the palace balcony.
Tamblin nodded and glanced at his sister before returning his attention to the glittering kingdom in front of him. He wrapped his arm around her waist when she leaned against him. They stood in silence for several minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.
“It’s beautiful. I think the festival this year is the best we’ve ever had,” he said.
“They’ve always been wonderful, but I have to agree. I love this time of year when the mushrooms release their spores. You must come visit the Sand Kingdom again soon. The dunes are lit up at night. It reminds me of this place.” She sighed with contentment. “Jett’s mother and father are debating on whether they should change the name of their kingdom now that the desert is shrinking. The mushroom forests are spreading at a phenomenal rate. It reminds me of the old illustrations,” she replied.
“It won’t be for long if what you told me this afternoon comes to pass,” he grimly replied.
Tia squeezed his arm. “My vision—maybe it won’t come true,” she wistfully countered.
He faced her. “Your visions have never been wrong, Tia. You know that. When the aliens return to our world, we must be ready this time. I want you to remember that there is plenty of room for expansion here. I will write a missive to Jett’s parents, letting them know that the people of the Sand Kingdom are welcome here,” he said.
Tia shook her head. “You know that would never work, Tamblin. Jett and his people will never give up their home without a fight,” she replied.
He sighed. “If the aliens come, they may not have a choice. We are no match for their size and strength,” he said.
Tia parted her lips as if she would protest, but she closed them and nodded instead. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. Her slender figure had filled out again, and it felt good to hold her without fear of breaking her.